


Cold With Me

by madamecrimson



Series: Anything Like That [8]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment, Watcher Entertainment (Web Series)
Genre: Cold, Fever, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:15:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23116822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamecrimson/pseuds/madamecrimson
Summary: "Where's Ryan?" Steven asked Shane, noting that his other co-founder hadn't shown up yet.Shane shrugged in reply, hiding his blush behind a mug of coffee with The Professor's face printed on it.Steven's phone buzzed with a text from Ryan.From Ryan:Hey man, sorry won't be be able to make it in today. I feel like shit. Don't worry, you'll still have the Shanester.Steven set his mouth into a fine line, glancing from his screen toward Shane who had already begun checking his e-mails on his computer."So Ryan's sick today," Steven began, walking over to Shane's desk. "Only he sent the text to me, and not to our group chat."He stopped in front of Shane and raised his eyebrows. Steven was definitely the more outwardly sweet and innocent one of the group, but his sharp intelligence was nothing to scoff at. When Steven remained silent, standing there in expectation, Shane let out a sigh, dropping his gaze slightly. He had to hand it to Steven that the man was pretty good at getting what he wanted.
Relationships: Background Shane Madej/Sara Rubin - Relationship, Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Series: Anything Like That [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1622158
Comments: 12
Kudos: 113





	Cold With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by ["Cold Song"](https://youtu.be/h8FdVlKp3nY?t=13) by Jewel.

"He may have caught it from me," Shane admitted. 

"The only one in the office to catch it from you," Steven amended. 

Shane admittedly did feel at least a little guilty about that part, but mainly for their company's sake. He hadn't expected Ryan to go all Florence Nightingale on him. 

_Several Days Ago_

Shane lay weakly in his bed, his entire body feeling heavy and achy. He was both entirely too hot and too cold, his throat was dry and scratchy, he was congested, and his skin felt clammy. He wasn't sure what time it was, or how long he had spent laying there just staring up at the ceiling when he heard a buzz from his phone where it lay on the nightstand. He picked it up, tiredly sliding on his glasses to read the message. It was in their Watcher group chat, Steven mentioning something or other about the next Watcher Weekly. Shane sighed heavily as he began typing a message, even a task as simple as that feeling like a strain.

From Shane: _Hey guys, sick as a dog today. Will come back to work as soon as I can._

From Steven: _No worries! Just get well soon! :)_

From Ryan: _You'd be a great dane with those limbs._

From Steven: _-_-_

From Ryan: _XD_

Without really noticing it, Shane drifted off to sleep at some point, his phone slipping from his hands onto the floor. 

Awhile later, and Shane wasn't sure how long it had been, he heard the sound of his front door opening. Sara was out of town so he assumed it must be a burglar of some kind; but he wondered how a burglar would get a key? Shane's head was spinning, thoughts his brain swirling around dizzily. 

"Shane?" he heard a familiar voice say. 

He grunted as he turned his head to face where the voice was coming from. He was confused to see Ryan of all people there. In addition to believing in ghosts, Ryan had a tendency to be a bit of a hypochondriac and a germaphobe sometimes. Ryan set several bags down on the floor. He appeared to sense Shane's confusion as he went on to explain, pulling out his cellphone dramatically. 

"Can you go check on Shane? He's a lousy patient," Ryan read and Shane immediately knew that Sara had sent him. 

"I'm surprised she didn't give you a detailed list of instructions," Shane mumbled. 

"Here's a pdf of what he might need," Ryan continued reading. "Water, homemade stew (check the fridge), pills are in the cabinet--" Ryan's phone buzzed. "Guess she must have left something out," he teased.

Shane groaned, throwing an am over his head. He found it sweet, but he also thought Sara might have gone a bit overboard. "It's not like you're pet sitting Obi or something." 

Ryan smirked as he read Sara's newest message. "If the boy gets too antsy, take him out for a walk to get some fresh air but don't wander too far. His leash and collar are--" 

Ryan nearly choked as he cut himself off, reading the rest of Sara's message in silence. _in the second drawer of the dresser. Just kidding! :p Or am I? ;)_. 

Ryan flushed from his forehead to his chest, trying not to stare at their dresser and to swiftly change the subject. Shane, who was still only half awake, barely registered that anything was amiss. 

"So anyway, yeah. Stay in bed, I'll get you what you need," Ryan told him. 

Shane grumbled something incoherent but Ryan ignored it for the moment. He stepped towards the bed, gently placing the back of his hand on Shane's forehead. Shane blushed at the contact but leaned into it all the same. "Are your hands always this cold?" 

"You're burning up," Ryan told him, moving to pull his hand away, wondering if maybe the temperature of his hand was too much of a contrast to Shane's fevered skin. 

Shane weakly grasped Ryan's wrist, holding him there. "No, leave it," he mumbled, practically nuzzling into the touch. "Feels good." 

Ryan felt his heartbeat quicken slightly. He eased down onto the edge of Shane's bed, taking the thermometer out of the nightstand drawer where Sara said it would be. He pressed the button to turn it on. 

"I'm gonna put this under your tongue. Close your mouth around it," Ryan told him. 

"You can already tell that I'm hot, you don't need to take my temperature," Shane protested. 

Ryan bit the inside of his cheek at the phrasing. "Better to be sure than sorry," he replied. 

"Isn't the phrase, "better to be 'safe' than sorry"? Shane shot back. 

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Sick enough to miss work but apparently not sick enough to shut up." 

He sighed, absently brushing his thumb along Shane's forehead where his cool palm still laying against it. "Come on, it takes less than 5 minutes and I'll heat up some stew for you afterward." 

"Fine," Shane relented. "But only because Sara's stew is that fucking good." 

Ryan slipped the thermometer into Shane's mouth. He continued rubbing his thumb over Shane's forehead as they waited for his temperature to appear. Shane turned slightly so that he was facing Ryan. When Ryan looked down at him, he was struck by how oddly small and vulnerable Shane seemed like this. He was usually this tall mass of limbs, spewing sarcasm and teasing Ryan, but it looked like this was really hitting him hard. Ryan felt an ache in his chest, feeling a strong urge to take care of Shane like this. Ryan startled slightly when he heard the thermometer beep. 

"101.4. Yup, you've got a fever big guy," Ryan told him. 

Shane rolled his eyes, before wincing. "Headache too apparently," he mumbled. 

Ryan went to pull his hand away again, only for Shane to hold it in place. Ryan's mouth felt dry as he allowed his thumb to brush across Shane's forehead again. Warmth spread through his chest as he watched Shane ease beneath his touch. Shane kept a light hold on Ryan's wrist, his eyes fluttering shut beneath Ryan's ministrations. 

"You should also drink plenty of water," Ryan commented softly, but made no move to get up just yet. 

Shane hummed in agreement, not moving either. Ryan couldn't be sure whether Shane's affection was due to being sick or their newly developing unspoken dynamic but it made his heart hammer in his chest. They remained like that for some time until Ryan heard Shane's stomach growl. Ryan stood, feeling the urge to kiss Shane's forehead, but feeling awkward about it at the same time. 

"Be right back big guy," Ryan told him, heading out of Shane's bedroom and into the kitchen. 

Shane lay his head back against the pillow. He still felt positively awful, but slightly less so now that he had Ryan's company. It was oddly comforting to hear him bustling about the kitchen. Ryan came back into the room, a bowl of stew in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He set both down on the nightstand before sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

"Thanks," Shane said, placing his hands on either side of himself and trying to push up into a seated position. He struggled greatly, barely managing to get halfway there before collapsing. 

He cursed, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead in frustration. Ryan stood, moving to the side of Shane's bed that was next to the night stand. 

"Can you wiggle over to the other side?" Ryan asked him. 

"Why?" Shane asked suspiciously. 

Ryan rolled his eyes. "You really are a lousy patient," he sighed. "Now move." 

Shane would normally have put up more of an argument but he was too worn out to protest. Ryan toed off his shoes, sliding onto the bed beside Shane. Ryan began gently manuvering Shane around until Shane was sitting sideways between Ryan's legs, Shane's own legs laying diagonal across the bed. Ryan reached over, grabbing the bowl of stew and setting it in Shane's lap. 

"Hold this," Ryan told him, stirring the stew a bit with a spoon. 

Shane leaned weakly against Ryan's chest, and Ryan curled an arm around Shane's back to support him. Ryan dipped the spoon into the bowl bringing it up to his own lips to blow on it before offering it to Shane. 

"What, no airplane noises?" Shane said sarcastically. 

"Oh no we're about to crash into Mount Rushmore!" Ryan exclaimed in feigned terror. "Mount Rushmore? I thought that had four heads! No no, just one really big *fore*head!" 

Shane rolled his eyes, smiling despite himself. "How long have you been holding onto the that gem?" 

"Shut up Shane," Ryan said, although he grinned in reply. 

Ryan brought the spoon closer to Shane's lips. Shane leaned forward, accepting the spoonful of stew. Ryan continued to feed him like that until the stew was finished and he set the bowl and spoon on the nightstand. He tentatively slid his other arm around Shane, feeling his heart race as Shane cuddled into him. 

_Present Time_

"You were out for three days," Steven stated then before Shane could think of something else to say. "If he's out for four, you're both in trouble." 

Steven kept hold of his more serious expression, though Shane could see the hint of a smirk playing beneath his features. As Steven went back to his desk, Shane quickly texted Ryan.

From Shane: _You're gonna get us detention with Principal Lim._

From Ryan: _You're the one who got me sick! My Mom always told me to stay away from the bad boys ;)_

Shane chuckled, rolling his eyes as he got back to work.


End file.
